If your greatest love of all is watching musical artist biopics of varying quality, Netflix is here for you, dropping last year’s Whitney Houston movie, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” into its offerings this weekend.
The historical drama starring Naomi Ackie as the late songstress is currently the streaming service’s No. 1 film title. But for those without a Netflix subscription, there are other ways to watch the movie, for purchase or rent, on video-on-demand platforms including Vudu, YouTube, Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.
In December, Sony Pictures’ “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody” debuted in third place at the domestic box office behind fierce competitors “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” Directed by Kasi Lemmons, the cinematic portrait of Houston drew mediocre reviews and followed a wave of biopics chronicling the rise of Queen, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and other famed musicians.
“As the film progresses toward Whitney’s tragic end, it starts to take on a distinctly ghoulish quality, especially a scene that imagines her frame of mind before her death,” wrote critic Katie Walsh in a review for Tribune News Service.
“It’s a film that ultimately feels less like a celebration and more like further exploitation of the star, leaving us all with much more unsettling questions about Houston’s life and legacy. Sadly, the disappointing ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ doesn’t let Whitney rest in peace.”
The better-received 2018 documentary “Whitney” is also available to stream via VOD.